I have always had a huge fascination with the past. My grandmother is a huge history buff, and she raised me on stories from the past. I do not really get to experience historical sites that often. I come from a town where buildings that are over eighty years old are considered “historic.” Even the oldest building in New York City is only from the 1600s. The only times I get to truly experience early history is when I leave the country. England was the perfect opportunity for me to immerse myself in the past. Seeing all the cathedrals and castles that withstood the test of time stunned me. Construction of the York Minster began in 1220, and even though it has had a decent amount of renovation done to keep it standing, it still possesses the power it had when it was first built. The Canterbury Cathedral, Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey were other places that stunned me by how much history was contained in their walls. Even though it is not the original one, the Globe theater was also very amazing to see. It was done to appear just like the original one, and I felt almost as if I was actually in the original Globe. The medievalist style of design was prominent in many of these places, but to my surprise, it was not obvious. When visiting places like these, I often have to remind myself that they truly are the original buildings where all these important historical events took place, not just a recreation of these structures. I typically do not get the chance to surround myself with places that are that old, so it is always an experience when I get the opportunity. This trip gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the past, and I could not have enjoyed it any more.
-Cassie Eaches
